Research Institute of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China.
Mol Biol Rep. 2012 May;39(5):6035-42. doi: 10.1007/s11033-011-1417-7. Epub 2011 Dec 28.
Spätzle gene codes for a NGF-like protein, it involves in the embryonic development and innate immune response of insects and other invertebrate. In dorsal ventral axis differentiation, proSpätzle is activated by serine endoproteases Easter and then binds to the Toll receptor in ventral axis of oocyte which initiates the ventral axis development. Besides, it could also be activated by another protease named Spätzle-processing enzyme (SPZ) to mediate Toll pathway which involves in innate immune response in fungal and Gram-positive bacterial infection of invertebrate. In this paper, a full-length cDNA of Spätzle was firstly isolated from Artemia sinica which belonged to Spätzle-4 family. The expression of Spätzle was investigated at various stages during the embryonic development of A. sinica using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry assays. The result showed that the high expression level of Spätzle appeared at 7 and 10 days of the embryo. A gradual increased level of Spätzle transcript occurred after being challenged with Gram-positive bacteria. Immunohistochemistry assay showed that Spätzle was mainly expressed in the cephalothorax and on the alimentary canal surface during embryonic development. This new Spätzle member showed a constitutive and regional expression during the embryonic development of A. sinica. It may play an important role in dorsal-ventral differentiation at the early development stages and in immune response pathway at the pseudoadult and adult stage, as well as during infection.
Spätzle 基因编码一种类似神经生长因子的蛋白质，它参与昆虫和其他无脊椎动物的胚胎发育和先天免疫反应。在背腹轴分化过程中，proSpätzle 被丝氨酸内肽酶 Easter 激活，然后与卵母细胞腹轴中的 Toll 受体结合，启动腹轴发育。此外，它还可以被另一种名为 Spätzle 加工酶 (SPZ) 的蛋白酶激活，从而介导 Toll 途径，该途径涉及无脊椎动物真菌感染和革兰氏阳性细菌感染的先天免疫反应。在本文中，首次从中华卤虫中分离出 Spätzle 的全长 cDNA，属于 Spätzle-4 家族。使用实时 PCR 和免疫组织化学检测法研究了 Spätzle 在中华卤虫胚胎发育的各个阶段的表达。结果表明，Spätzle 的高表达水平出现在胚胎的 7 天和 10 天。在受到革兰氏阳性细菌挑战后，Spätzle 的转录水平逐渐升高。免疫组织化学检测表明，Spätzle 在胚胎发育过程中主要在头胸部和消化道表面表达。这种新的 Spätzle 成员在中华卤虫的胚胎发育过程中表现出组成型和区域性表达。它可能在早期发育阶段的背腹分化以及在拟成虫和成虫阶段以及感染期间的免疫反应途径中发挥重要作用。
